scholarly journals Structural insights into the small G-protein Arl13B and implications for Joubert syndrome

2013 ◽  
Vol 457 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandy Miertzschke ◽  
Carolin Koerner ◽  
Michael Spoerner ◽  
Alfred Wittinghofer

Using Arl13B from Chlamydomonas as a model, we show by high resolution X-ray crystallography and biochemical approaches that mutations in patients with Joubert syndrome might lead to loss of function by specifically affecting the stability of the active conformation of Arl13B.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewan Phillip Ramsay ◽  
Guillermo Abascal-Palacios ◽  
Julia L. Daiß ◽  
Helen King ◽  
Jerome Gouge ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIn eukaryotes, RNA Polymerase (Pol) III is the enzyme specialised for the transcription of the entire pool of tRNAs and several other short, essential, untranslated RNAs. Pol III is a critical determinant of cellular growth and lifespan across the eukaryotic kingdom. Upregulation of Pol III transcription is often observed in cancer cells and causative Pol III mutations have been described in patients affected by severe neurodevelopmental disorders and hypersensitivity to viral infection.Harnessing CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in HeLa cells, we isolated endogenous human Pol III and obtained a cryo-EM reconstruction at 4.0 Å. The structure of human Pol III allowed us to map the reported genetic mutations and rationalise them. Mutations causing neurodevelopmental defects cluster in hotspots that affect the stability and/or biogenesis of Pol III, thereby resulting in loss-of-function of the enzyme. Mutations affecting viral sensing are located in the periphery of the enzyme in proximity to DNA binding regions, suggesting an impairment of Pol III cytosolic viral DNA-sensing activity.Furthermore, integrating x-ray crystallography and SAXS data, we describe the structure of the RPC5 C-terminal extension, which is absent in lower eukaryotes and not visible in our EM map. Surprisingly, experiments in living cells highlight a role for the RPC5 C-terminal extension in the correct assembly and stability of the human Pol III enzyme, thus suggesting an added layer of regulation during the biogenesis of Pol III in higher eukaryotes.


Author(s):  
Robert A. Grant ◽  
Laura L. Degn ◽  
Wah Chiu ◽  
John Robinson

Proteolytic digestion of the immunoglobulin IgG with papain cleaves the molecule into an antigen binding fragment, Fab, and a compliment binding fragment, Fc. Structures of intact immunoglobulin, Fab and Fc from various sources have been solved by X-ray crystallography. Rabbit Fc can be crystallized as thin platelets suitable for high resolution electron microscopy. The structure of rabbit Fc can be expected to be similar to the known structure of human Fc, making it an ideal specimen for comparing the X-ray and electron crystallographic techniques and for the application of the molecular replacement technique to electron crystallography. Thin protein crystals embedded in ice diffract to high resolution. A low resolution image of a frozen, hydrated crystal can be expected to have a better contrast than a glucose embedded crystal due to the larger density difference between protein and ice compared to protein and glucose. For these reasons we are using an ice embedding technique to prepare the rabbit Fc crystals for molecular structure analysis by electron microscopy.


1988 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Kühlbrandt

As recently as 10 years ago, the prospect of solving the structure of any membrane protein by X-ray crystallography seemed remote. Since then, the threedimensional (3-D) structures of two membrane protein complexes, the bacterial photosynthetic reaction centres of Rhodopseudomonas viridis (Deisenhofer et al. 1984, 1985) and of Rhodobacter sphaeroides (Allen et al. 1986, 1987 a, 6; Chang et al. 1986) have been determined at high resolution. This astonishing progress would not have been possible without the pioneering work of Michel and Garavito who first succeeded in growing 3-D crystals of the membrane proteins bacteriorhodopsin (Michel & Oesterhelt, 1980) and matrix porin (Garavito & Rosenbusch, 1980). X-ray crystallography is still the only routine method for determining the 3-D structures of biological macromolecules at high resolution and well-ordered 3-D crystals of sufficient size are the essential prerequisite.


2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (a1) ◽  
pp. C1211-C1211
Author(s):  
Joseph Ng ◽  
Ronny Hughes ◽  
Michelle Morris ◽  
Leighton Coates ◽  
Matthew Blakeley ◽  
...  

Soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase (IPPase) catalyzes the hydrolysis of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) to form orthophosphate (Pi). The action of this enzyme shifts the overall equilibrium in favor of synthesis during a number of ATP-dependent cellular processes such as in the polymerization of nucleic acids, production of coenzymes and proteins and sulfate assimilation pathways. Two Neutron crystallographic (2.10-2.50Å) and five high-resolution X-ray (0.99Å-1.92Å) structures of the archaeal IPPase from Thermococcus thioreducens have been determined under both cryo and room temperatures. The structures determined include the recombinant IPPase bound to Mg+2, Ca+2, Br-, SO2-2 or PO4-2 involving those with non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed pyrophosphate complexes. All the crystallographic structures provide snapshots of the active site corresponding to different stages of the hydrolysis of inorganic pyrophosphate. As a result, a structure-based model of IPPase catalysis is devised showing the enzyme's low-energy conformations, hydration states, movements and nucleophile generation within the active site.


2012 ◽  
Vol 415 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Bobyr ◽  
Jonathan K. Lassila ◽  
Helen I. Wiersma-Koch ◽  
Timothy D. Fenn ◽  
Jason J. Lee ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Bryn Fenwick ◽  
Sunil Prasannan ◽  
Louise J. Campbell ◽  
Katrina A. Evetts ◽  
Daniel Nietlispach ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Javier García-Nafría ◽  
Christopher G. Tate

Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized structure determination of membrane proteins and holds great potential for structure-based drug discovery. Here we discuss the potential of cryo-EM in the rational design of therapeutics for membrane proteins compared to X-ray crystallography. We also detail recent progress in the field of drug receptors, focusing on cryo-EM of two protein families with established therapeutic value, the γ-aminobutyric acid A receptors (GABAARs) and G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). GABAARs are pentameric ion channels, and cryo-EM structures of physiological heteromeric receptors in a lipid environment have uncovered the molecular basis of receptor modulation by drugs such as diazepam. The structures of ten GPCR–G protein complexes from three different classes of GPCRs have now been determined by cryo-EM. These structures give detailed insights into molecular interactions with drugs, GPCR–G protein selectivity, how accessory membrane proteins alter receptor–ligand pharmacology, and the mechanism by which HIV uses GPCRs to enter host cells.


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